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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27115031">Calm the Swelling Tide</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scilessweetheart/pseuds/scilessweetheart'>scilessweetheart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s04e07 Weaponized, Good Parent Sheriff Stilinski, Hurt/Comfort, POV Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Post-Episode: s04e07 Weaponized, Scott McCall &amp; Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Scott is a Good Friend, Stiles Stilinski Needs a Hug, Stilinski Family Feels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:27:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27115031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scilessweetheart/pseuds/scilessweetheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of 4x07, Scott tries to figure out what happened to Stiles when he left the vault.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Scott McCall &amp; Stiles Stilinski, Sheriff Stilinski &amp; Stiles Stilinski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Calm the Swelling Tide</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from Human by Gabrielle Aplin</p>
<p>It really bothered me that none of the other characters noticed/addressed what happened to Stiles in Weaponized, so here is my interpretation of what happened after canon. I hope you like it!! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Scott had never felt as close to death as he did in that vault. Knowing that Malia and Kira were with him, also dying, didn’t help. He could feel the fatigue setting in and his sight was completely gone. Without Stiles yelling to them about the cure and Kira motivating him to find it, they probably would’ve died in there.</p>
<p>He was lucky he healed fast. The second the tea leaves were exposed to the cold vault air, he could breathe again. He felt stronger, his wounds started to heal, and, most importantly, he could see again. He wasn’t fully functioning yet, but he was feeling much better than before, and could walk on his own with no pain or struggle.</p>
<p>He opened the vault and helped Kira up. When he turned around, Malia was gone, and Stiles was on the floor, leaning against the vault door. Scott reached out a hand to help Stiles up, but the other boy shook his head. A few seconds later, Stiles had managed to boost himself up to a standing position. Together, they headed up the stairs and into the main wing of the school building. Kira, seeing her dad in the hallway, left to go to his side, leaving the two boys alone.</p>
<p>Scott wondered who the assassin was and where they currently were. He turned to ask Stiles but figured the other boy would have told him if he knew, so he kept his mouth closed. Based on the fact that everyone was walking around, paired with the fact that the Sheriff knew this was the work of another assassin, he doubted the person was still on the loose.</p>
<p>When Scott and Stiles emerged from the school building, they were met with chaos. There were dozens of cars in the parking lot holding concerned parents, two or three ambulances, and at least half of the sheriffs department. Plus, of course, the swarm of scared students leaving the building with them. Luckily for them, most of the people were on the other side of the police line and barriers.</p>
<p>“Where’s Malia?” Scott asked glancing around.</p>
<p>Stiles shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. “She took off the second you got the door open. She saw the Deadpool.”</p>
<p>“Oh. So she knows about Peter?”</p>
<p>He kicked a rock on the ground, avoiding Scott’s eyes. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>Their thoughts were interrupted by a yell across the parking lot. “Stiles!”</p>
<p>Seconds later, the sheriff had his arms wrapped around his son. While Scott expected Stiles to protest, the boy did the opposite. He buried his head into his father’s neck and hugged him back just as tight.</p>
<p>“Hey, dad.”</p>
<p>He pulled back and put his hands on Stiles’ shoulders, while looking at him in the eyes. “I just talked to McCall.”</p>
<p>Stiles’ shoulders visibly sagged. He asked in a weak voice. “Is it all over?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. It’s over.”</p>
<p>Noah Stilinski put his arm around his son’s shoulders and leads him away from Scott and towards the ambulance, likely to get him checked out after the sickness. Scott looked around to see where his other friends were. Like Stiles had told him earlier, Malia was gone. Not that he could blame her, as they kept a pretty big secret from her. He, too, would be upset if it were him. That being said, he is hopeful that she will come around and understand their perspective.</p>
<p>Kira was with her dad, discussing something in hushed whispers. Every so often, they’d glance over to where Scott was, but neither approached him. He was shocked to see his dad there, as well. He was currently by the main doors to the school, talking to some of the deputies Scott recognized from around the station, along with Ms. Martin. Lydia was nearby with her mother. She started to head over to Scott, but her mother grabbed her arm and told her to stay put, much to the other girl’s chagrin.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until he saw Stiles again that he felt something was off. He was over by the paramedics with a shock blanket, shivering. No, not shivering, badly shaking. And for the first time, Scott noticed the blood. He honestly doesn’t understand how he didn’t notice it before – Stiles is covered in it. His shirt is stained, and his face is covered in splatters of blood, though it’s smudged, like he tried (and failed) to wipe it off. Concerned and curious, Scott approaches him.</p>
<p>“Stiles?”</p>
<p>Stiles plastered on an obviously fake smile. “Yeah, Scotty?”</p>
<p>“Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, why?”</p>
<p>“You’re shaking. Badly.” Scott pointed out. He chose to refrain from asking about the blood, at least for now.</p>
<p>Stiles was quick to wave him off. “Just the adrenaline. How are you doing? Any side effects?”</p>
<p>“Still a little woozy but nowhere near as bad as earlier.” He explained, to placate the boy, but he was unwilling to let the other boy off the hook. “But Stiles-”</p>
<p>Stiles stood up and shrugged off the blanket. “Can we talk in a little bit? My dad wanted to ask me some questions.”</p>
<p>“Sure, but-” His words fell on deaf ears as Stiles had already called his dad over to him.</p>
<p>“What happened to him? He’s covered in blood.” Lydia gasps, appearing next to him. He hadn’t even heard her approach.</p>
<p>“I don’t know.” Scott mutters, still staring at the retreating form of his best friend.</p>
<p>“Scott, I…” Lydia paused as Scott turned to look at her. She pulls him off to the side, away from the Stilinskis. “I felt something. While you all were inside.”</p>
<p>“Like a banshee feeling.” It wasn’t a question.</p>
<p>She nods, eyes wide. “About Stiles.”</p>
<p>Before Scott has a chance to react or find his best friend, he hears his name called out.</p>
<p>“Scott!”</p>
<p>Scott whipped around quickly at the familiar voice and came face to face with Rafael McCall. “Dad? What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>Lydia, knowing his mixed feelings about his dad, gives him a sympathetic smile before heading back to her mother.</p>
<p>“I was called in with the sheriff. As I’m sure you already know, this was the work of another assassin.”</p>
<p>He crossed his arms. “Yeah, I pretty much figured that out.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad to see you’re okay.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Some of his anger dissipated. “What happened in there? I don’t know all the details.”</p>
<p>“The PSAT moderator had put a rare, weaponized form of the disease canine distemper in the thumbprint ink, which mimicked the effects of smallpox.”</p>
<p>“Where is he now?” Scott looked around quickly to try and catch a glimpse of the assassin.</p>
<p>“Dead.”</p>
<p>Scott noticed how his father’s eyes quickly flicked to where Stiles was across the parking lot. It happened so fast that Scott could’ve imagined it but, based on the other weird stuff happening with Stiles, he decided that something was definitely going on, and that his father knew about it.</p>
<p>“Oh.” He decided to finally say, not voicing his questions.</p>
<p>“Where were you during all of this?”</p>
<p>He shrugged off the question. “I’ll explain later.”</p>
<p>He started to walk away, when his father called out to him “I don’t know what happened, or why you disappeared, but I’m glad you’ve got a loyal friend like Stilinski.”</p>
<p>If he wasn’t already sure something else happened to Stiles, he definitely was now. As of yesterday, Rafael McCall would rather die than say anything good about either of the Stilinskis. And now he was telling Scott that he was lucky to have Stiles.</p>
<p>He was set on talking to Stiles now. He closed his eyes to listen for him, but instead of his voice, he heard his heartbeat. It was loud and pounding in Scott’s ears. With it was labored breathing, and the Sheriff’s voice saying “Breathe with me. In. Out.” As someone who had known Stiles for years and been with him when his mom died, Scott knew what was happening. Stiles was having a panic attack.</p>
<p>Scott finally found them, sitting on the back of one of the ambulances, obscured from the view of other people. The sheriff was standing, while Stiles sat on the floor of the ambulance in front of him, his feet dangling a few inches above the concrete. From where he was standing, Scott could see Stiles with his eyes scrunched closed and his head resting on his dad’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Dad, I just… there was a split second where I thought…” Stiles chokes.</p>
<p>The sheriff rubbed his back comfortingly. “I know.”</p>
<p>Stiles caught Scott’s eye. He sat up quickly, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. “Oh, hey Scott.”</p>
<p>Scott, not wanting to further upset him, pretended not to see. His determination faded as he took in the look on his friends face. His questions could wait. “Hey. Did you get checked out?”</p>
<p>“Yep. All cured.”</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>Noah cut in, “Scott would you do me a favor? I’m needed here for a little while longer, just to wrap everything up, but Stiles needs a ride to the station. Can you drive him?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, of course.”</p>
<p>Stiles quickly protested. “I can drive myself!”</p>
<p>Noah wouldn’t hear it. “Absolutely not.”</p>
<p>“Scott is recovering from the literal verge of death.”</p>
<p>“I feel fine now.” Scott chimed in.</p>
<p>That was, surprisingly, the truth. He was still a little woozy, but nothing compared to earlier and he felt comfortable driving. He hoped Malia and Kira felt the same level of okay as him.</p>
<p>“And you’re in shock, Stiles. It’s this or I call Parrish to get you in a squad car.”</p>
<p>Scott raised his eyebrows at Stiles. “Or I can call over Lydia? She’s feeling fine.”</p>
<p>“Fine.” Stiles dug in his front pocket for his car key, before tossing it to Scott. “I swear, if you crash my Jeep, man…”</p>
<p>They clambered into the Jeep and Stiles flipped on the radio, effectively keeping Scott from asking questions. Scott had about a million questions. Despite what the others seem to think sometimes, Scott is not an idiot. He knows his dad was the one who killed the Chemist, and he knows Stiles was there for it, and obviously has some residual trauma from it. He can’t manage to fill in the blanks, though. Stiles will have to do that for him.</p>
<p>They ride the whole way without talking.</p>
<p>“Stiles! Scott!” Parrish calls out, rushing to them as soon as they enter the station.</p>
<p>“Hey Parrish.” Scott greets him, but the deputy pays him little attention. His eyes are glued on Stiles.</p>
<p>“Your dad called and filled me in on the situation.” Scott expected him to make some sort of defensive or witty comment and was shocked so see Stiles solemnly nod. “Do you need a minute? Maybe some water?”</p>
<p>“No, I-I’m good.” Stiles stutters.</p>
<p>Parrish glances at Scott. “Do you want Scott to stay? Legally you are allowed to have a supporter when giving a statement.”</p>
<p>“He can stay.” Stiles says firmly.</p>
<p>Parrish leads them to an interrogation room in the back, away from the prying ears of the other people in the station. Stiles takes a seat at the table across from Parrish, while Scott takes the seat next to him. Even through his jeans, he can feel how cold the chair is.</p>
<p>“So why don’t you start from the beginning and describe everything that happened.”</p>
<p>“I walked into the classroom to take the PSAT, put ink on my thumb for the thumbprint, and then took a seat. A few minutes into the exam our classmate, Sydney Andrew, fainted. Ms. Martin helped her up and saw a weird rash on her arm, so she called the CDC. After that, more people started getting sick until it included everyone in the room. It was worse for my friends, Scott, Malia, and Kira, so they went down to the basement to avoid getting near everyone else. I went upstairs to try and talk to Ms. Martin about what was happening with them, but…” His breath hitches, and he trails off.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Stiles. Do you need to take a break?” Parrish reassures him.</p>
<p>Stiles lets out a choked breath. “No, I’m fine… just needed to catch my breath.”</p>
<p>Recognizing the sign of an incoming panic attack, Scott reaches out and grips Stiles’ hand. “What happened, Stiles?”</p>
<p>“I stopped in Coach’s office, where I saw the ink on his coffee cup. That’s when I figured out why everyone was sick. There was something in the ink. I turned to go tell someone, when I ran into Simon Hart, the PSAT proctor. He… he had a gun. He pushed me into the locker room. He asked where my friends were.”</p>
<p>The air was tense as Parrish presses, “What did you do?”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t tell him. Of course, I wouldn’t tell him. He put the gun to my head.” Scott froze and felt Stiles’ grip on his hand turn ironclad. He looked over at his friend and saw his eyes glued tightly to the table in front of him, almost as if he were in a trance. “He told me he’d count to three. He counted down and when he got to one, a gunshot went off. I thought he had shot me. The blood… it was everywhere. God, it still is everywhere.”</p>
<p>“What happened to Mr. Hart?” Parrish asks him cautiously.</p>
<p>“Agent McCall shot him.”</p>
<p>Scott’s breath hitches. “What?”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t his fault though!” Stiles was quick to reassure Parrish, ignoring Scott. “If he hadn’t done that, I’d be dead right now. If he had been one second later…”</p>
<p>Scott cuts off Stiles, reassuring him “But he wasn’t. The Chemist is gone and you’re here, right in front of me. And I’m so, so grateful for that.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Scott.” He smiles at his friend before sighing. “After that, I went to the basement and got my friends. They had started to get better and so did everyone else, so we were allowed to leave.”</p>
<p>“You’re very brave, Stiles.”</p>
<p>Stiles opened his mouth, probably to either argue or crack a joke, knowing him, but was cut off by the Sheriff and Agent McCall entering the room. Noah Stilinski was at his son’s side in seconds.</p>
<p>“Are you done?” Stiles nodded. “Okay let’s get you home and into some different clothes. Scott? Do you want to come back with us?”</p>
<p>“Sure. I’ll be out in a second.” Noah nodded steered Stiles out to the car with a reassuring grip on his shoulder.</p>
<p>Scott turned to his dad. “I heard what happened. I know you and the Stilinskis have never been on the best of terms, so… thank you.”</p>
<p>His father nodded. “You’re welcome.”</p>
<p>Scott headed out and slid into the backseat of the Jeep. Just like the way to the station, the atmosphere was tense and silent. Silence was not something Scott was used to with the Stilinskis. Normally, they’d either be in the front joking or arguing. Instead, Noah had a firm grip on the steering wheel and Stiles had his head resting against the window, leg shaking with anxiety. Scott didn’t need to smell the chemo signals to know how they were feeling.</p>
<p>When they entered the house, the sheriff said, “why don’t you two decide on a movie and I’ll go grab you both a change of clothes.”</p>
<p>When they both nodded, he headed up the stairs. Scott and Stiles wasted no time before collapsing onto the couch. Stiles was curled up in the corner of the couch while Scott sat on the opposite end. Neither talked about the statement Stiles just gave.</p>
<p>“Will today finally be the day you watch Star Wars?” Stiles asked him, joking, though a bit tentatively.</p>
<p>Recognizing Stiles’ attempt at normalcy, Scott rolled his eyes. “Fine. Fine! You win.”</p>
<p>“I knew it! I knew you’d crack.”</p>
<p>As Scott put the movie in, the Sheriff returned with their clothes. He grabbed a hoodie and some basketball shorts for Stiles and tossed a t-shirt and sweatpants at Scott.</p>
<p>“Here you go.” Noah let out an exasperated sigh when he saw the television. “Star Wars? I thought you had more resolve than that, Scott.”</p>
<p>“What can I say? He’s persistent.”</p>
<p>The man snorted. “That’s for sure.”</p>
<p>“You can change first.” Scott offered Stiles, eyeing the blood stained shirt.</p>
<p>Stiles didn’t argue and quickly headed into the bathroom. The second he left the room, Scott leaned forward and put his head in his hands as Noah took a seat next to him. Scott shuddered and had to hold back a sob as he presses the heel of his hands against his eyes. The man next to him puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“It’s not your fault.” He says softly.</p>
<p>“It feels like it is. Not only did we drag him into this mess, but he did it to protect us. We are werewolves! We should’ve been able to do more.”</p>
<p>“You’re also teenagers. And you were dying too.” He sighs. “I’m sure he doesn’t blame you.”</p>
<p>“You should’ve seen him as he gave that statement.”</p>
<p>“Scott. Think about what you know about Stiles. Do you honestly think he’d regret doing this? That he would ever willingly give you over to that bastard?”</p>
<p>“He’s a human. He needs to stop throwing himself in danger.”</p>
<p>“You’re telling me.”</p>
<p>Scott rolls his eyes fondly. “He’s also the most loyal person I’ve ever met.”</p>
<p>“That’s true too.” The sheriff chuckles.</p>
<p>Stiles returned and sunk into the couch next to them. He pulled the sleeves of his sweatshirt passed his fingertips and crossed his arms, clearly relieved to be in a new pair of clothes.</p>
<p>Next, Scott headed to the bathroom to change into the sweats Noah had grabbed for him. When he got out, he heard Stiles whispering to his dad. While Scott could obviously find out what they were saying due to his enhanced hearing, he decided to let them have their privacy.</p>
<p>He cleared his throat, making them both look up.</p>
<p>“Parrish asked for some help at the station. Will you two be okay here if I go?” Noah asks them.</p>
<p>“Definitely. Go ahead, dad.”</p>
<p>He glances hesitantly at his son. “Are you sure? I can always work from home.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ve got Scott.” Stiles smiled at his friend. His heart clenches at the trust the other boy has in him.</p>
<p>The sheriff gives Scott a grateful look before ruffling Stiles’ hair. “Alright then. I’ll be back in a few hours. Shoot me a text if you want me to pick up some takeout on my way back.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good. Bye.” Stiles waves as Noah leaves the house. The second he is gone, Stiles flips on the TV saying, “are you ready for the best three hours of your life?”</p>
<p>“I already regret this.”</p>
<p> </p>
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